


Missile Toe

by Peggystormborn



Series: Every Time...A Karamel Anthology [33]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Christmas, F/M, First Christmas, Karamel Secret Santa 2020, Kryptonian Culture & Customs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:42:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28199349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peggystormborn/pseuds/Peggystormborn
Summary: Mon-El is very confused about some of the holiday traditions on Earth.Until he learns there's one that might possibly give him a chance to kiss Kara again...
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Mon-El
Series: Every Time...A Karamel Anthology [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1092399
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Missile Toe

**Author's Note:**

> Damn it y'all! I wasn't going to join the challenge this year bc I couldn't think of an idea...but then this whole silly mistletoe thread thing happened and...well, here you go! 
> 
> Takes place in s2. After the kiss he said he didn't remember, but before the trip to maaldoria. 
> 
> Enjoy and happy holidays everyone

"I'm still not sure I understand...you cut down local flora and bring it indoors?" Mon-El eyes Winn over with suspicion, as though this is some sort of elaborate prank everyone is playing on the new alien in town.

"It's just a tree, dude," Winn says as he strolls down a corridor at the DEO, tablet in hand, a certain Daxamite walking in step and pressing him for information. 

"But...why?" 

"It's tradition, man! It's just what we do." Winn shrugs and smiles at his recently-minted friend. 

"Okay...but what about the circles?"

"Circles?" 

"They're green and prickly like the trees, but instead of being shaped like big cones with stars on top…"

"They're little rings. Right, those are wreaths, and we stick them on doors." 

"Okay...is there any other plant life involved in this holiday?" 

"Well, there's pointsettias…" 

"Point...setters? Aren't those dogs?"

"No, point-SET-tias. They're sort of like these red flower-looking things." 

"Flowers?" Mon-El perks up, mulling this information. "Like those things I brought to Kara's for Thanksgiving...yeah, that could work…" he taps his chin thoughtfully. 

"Work for what?" 

Mon-El freezes, like a deer in headlights and then sheepishly scratches his elbow. "Oh…uh, nothing. I was just trying to think of something special I could bring to Kara's party. Something she'd really like."

Winn side-eyes his friend. "Something special, huh?"

"Well...I, you know, like to be a...good...party guest."

"Uh huh." Winn stares the Daxamite down for a moment, as Mon-El blushes noticeably. "Anyway, I really don't think you need to go too crazy. Just grab some cookies from the supermarket, or a bottle of wine or something." 

"But I…" Mon-El struggles. "Shouldn't it be...I dunno, something...festive? You know, decorative? For the holiday?" 

"Kara will probably have all that stuff handled. I mean, it's her apartment."

"Yeah...I guess…" 

Winn sighs and crosses his arms over his chest. "Look, there's a store downtown that sells nothing but Christmas stuff, if you really want to, you can go and see if anything strikes your fancy. Or you can even paint your own, I did that once or twice when I was a kid. But I would stay away from plants. I know Kara's mom always sends her a pointsettia for the holidays, and I'm sure she'll already have mistletoe and all that stuff." 

"Missile...toe?" 

"Yeah, it's this stuff you hang up in doorways or wherever…" 

"I thought you were supposed to hang up socks…" 

"Stockings. And those go by the fireplace, if you have one. The mistletoe is different, it's for kissing." 

_DING DING DING._

"Um...kissing?" Mon-El feigns nonchalance at this information. "What...what does that mean?"

"Uh, Mon-El, I'm pretty sure you already know what kissing is…"

"No, I mean what does it have to do with toes and missles…"

Winn bites his lip, trying to hold back a chuckle. "Look, it'll be this green sprig with little white buds hanging from a red ribbon. She always sticks it up near the bathroom, since she doesn't have any interior doors. And if two people happen to bump into each other under it, then they're obligated to kiss." 

"...Obligated?" 

"...It's just a silly tradition, man, no one has to kiss anyone they don't want to." 

"But...traditions are kind of important to Kara... right?"

"Dude, you gotta stop overthinking all this. It's just a party. Show up, have a few laughs and a cup of eggnog, and head home with a belly full of fruit cake. Look, I need to get back to work, but I'll see you there, okay?" With that, Winn heads back to the CIC, leaving Mon-El no less confused than he was at the start of their conversation. 

"Egg...nog? What the hell is a nog and why would someone put an egg on it?"

********

"So…any bets on how long the alien romeo is gonna stand over there?" Vasquez says from her spot on Kara's couch, where she, Dana and Alex are snickering at his antics, each donning their best ugly Christmas sweaters.

"You have to admire his dedication to a lost cause," Alex chimes in. "Kara puts that stuff up because she thinks it's fun to make other people get with the smooching, but the girl with super speed and a bladder of steel knows better than to get caught under there herself. She won't go near the bathroom all night, trust me." 

"Well…" a mischievously Grinch-like smile creeps up on each side of Dana's mouth. "He might have some luck yet. Christmas _is_ a time to be generous, after all…" She hands her bottle of beer to Vasquez and winks at them before getting up off the couch and sauntering over towards her target. 

The other two agents watch and bide their time, as Mon-El--who'd been playing with his prized new calculator watch, given to him earlier in the evening by Winn, his first real friend on this planet--startles at the approach of a woman he instantly realizes is the _wrong_ blonde. They can practically see him sweat as she leans in, and he compensates by leaning backwards slightly, just out of her easy reach.

Alex and Vasquez look at each other, nodding in silent agreement. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" they start to chant, as Mon-El turns to gawk at them, eyes wide. 

To his horror, he sees he and his acquaintance now have the whole room as an audience, including Kara, who'd up to now been engrossed in conversation at the kitchen table with J'onn, James and Winn. All four join the chanting, clapping and smiling along, until Dana gives an exaggerated shrug and puckers up. 

Panicking, Mon-El speedily turns his head to the side, rotating so far that Dana's lips land on his ear. 

She retracts her head, making a slightly grossed-out face, as the room erupts in laughter, including Dana. 

Mon-El feels his face turning beet red, and he wilts under their collective scrutiny. "I've gotta go…um…" he points a thumb over his shoulder, and suddenly disappears with a whoosh of air as the bathroom door slams shut.

Kara tilts her head with confusion as she watches Dana get high fives from her sister and Vasquez while strutting back to the couch. 

"What was _that_ all about?" she wonders to no one in particular. 

James and Winn share a knowing look. 

"Oh, nothing," Winn says. "Mon-El is just a little confused about all the different holiday rituals."

Kara nods with a shrug of acceptance, and dives back into giving her opinion about how James should redecorate his office. 

********

After about an hour and a half of dodging every single bathroom-goer in between hoping in vain that Kara might, finally, show her beautiful face under the odd-looking plant, the party starts to wind down, and Winn and James decide to intervene and put the poor guy out of his misery. 

"Come on, man," James pats Mon-El on the back with a sympathetic smile. "Why don't you grab your coat and say goodbye to our hostess?"

Sighing, Mon-El nods and heads for the door. 

"Bye, Kara," he says as he passes her, trying to hide his disappointment. 

"Oh!" she startles, momentarily distracted by trying to get all the leftover food put away. "You're going? I was hoping to get a chance to chat with you."

"You were?" he perks up. 

"Yeah, I just...I know the holidays are kinda...weird and disorienting when you're new to this planet." 

He nods and chuckles. "That's...definitely true. I still don't know a jingle bell from a candy cane."

Kara laughs. "Just, uh...try not to eat the wrong one."

"Noted." There's an awkward pause after her laughter fades, so he gives a perfunctory nod and turns to walk away, as she returns her attention to tupperware and half-gobbled plates of cookies. "Oh!" he remembers, snapping his fingers. "I left your gift under the tree over there. I got _that_ part right, at least, didn't I?" 

"Gift?" she responds, eyebrows knitting together. "Oh...you didn't have to get me anything, Mon-El." 

"But…I thought...that's what this whole Christmas thing was all about…" he responds with confusion. "Should I... _not_ have?"

Feeling a twinge of guilt, she rushes to reassure him. "No, it's fine. That was really thoughtful of you. I just…I'm sorry, I didn't get you anything."

"That's okay, I just...I hope you like it. I'll, uh, see you tomorrow."

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

He lingers a moment, with a stay niggling thought he can't quite put away. "I... _did_ get the tree part right, didn't I? That's where they're supposed to go?"

Kara smiles. "Yes, you did that part _just_ right, Santa's little helper."

"I'm…I'm not...uh…" 

"Never mind," she gestures with playful dismissiveness. "Good night, Mon-El." 

"Good night." 

After he walks out the door, Alex sidles up, the last of the lingering guests. "So...what was that all about?"

"Huh?" Kara looks up at her sister. "Oh, Mon-El? He was just being his usual stray puppy self." 

"Did he say something about getting you a present?"

"Yeah...why?"

"Uh...because I _have_ to know what that boy thinks a Christmas present is supposed to be."

"Alex, don't make fun. He's still learning. Remember how I used to sing all the wrong lyrics to every carol you tried to teach me?" 

"Yes, and the fart-bridge in a bear tree is still my favorite."

"Shut up, Scrooge." 

Alex, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, prances over to the tree and retrieves a small, sloppily-wrapped box covered in what appears to be sheets of scrap paper from the copy machine at the DEO. "I need to have a conversation with Demos about proper disposal of confidential documents," she muses, reading the side of the box. 

" _After_ Christmas," Kara scolds. "Now give me that. He obviously was trying really hard to do this right, so whatever is in here, promise me you won't make fun of him about it, okay?" 

"Fine," Alex relents, putting her hands up. 

Kara opens the card and reads its contents aloud.

_Kara,_

_I still don't know much about this holiday, so I figured I'd stick with something a little more familiar._

_Jolly Christmas and Happy Nova Cycle_

_P.S. I don't actually know what day the Nova Cycle falls on the earth calendar, but maybe we could figure it out someday and say the solstice prayers together. If you want. Or not, either way is fine._

"What's the Nova Cycle?" Alex wonders when Kara puts the card down, an unreadable look on her face.

"Oh, it's basically the Kryptonian New Year. But they celebrated it on Daxam, too. They used our calendar, even though their year was shorter."

She unwraps the package, digging through more shredded office paper, and pulls out a gorgeously hand-painted ornament. 

"Holy Rao…" Kara says, slightly breathless. 

"What is it?" Alex wonders, marveling at an image of a red and orange glyph, embellished with a strange creature in the middle, something between a bird and a bat.

"It's the Flamebird. Half dragon, half Phoenix, to represent renewal. It was the sigil of the Kryptonian religious guild. We used it as part of our Nova Cycle celebration. We'd always gather in the middle of Argo, hold hands in prayer, and everyone would have flags with this exact symbol on it. I guess...he must have painted this himself."

"It's…actually _really_ beautiful," Alex marvels. "Gotta say I'm impressed, I was expecting one of those fake cans of nuts that snakes pop out of when you open it."

Kara side-eyes her sister. 

"Just...you know, for example," the elder Danvers shrugs. 

"This must have taken him _hours_ to make...I can't believe he did this," Kara shakes her head, still staring at the object. 

"You can't?" 

"No, I mean, he barely even _likes_ me."

"Right…" Alex opts to bite her tongue, pressing her lips together to avoid smiling. 

"Alex...tomorrow morning is the solstice here, right? The first day of winter?"

"Yeah, the 21st. Why?" Alex tilts her head with curiosity.

"No, uh…" Kara shakes off her sister's scrutiny. "No reason…" 

********

She alights just before dawn on the roof of the DEO. Just as she suspected, he's already there, gazing at the horizon. 

"Morning," she says, walking up with two cups of coffee. He startles, shocked at her sudden arrival, but manages to accept the offered venti of hot joe, cream and one sugar, just how he likes it. 

"H...hey…" he squeaks out. "What are you doing here?" 

"I, uh…I really loved your present. Thank you." 

His baffled surprise quickly gives way to an ear-to-ear smile. "You did? Seriously?" 

"Yes, it was beautiful. How many ornaments did you go through before you got it right?" 

"Psh, me?" He puffs out his chest with faux cockiness. "Only like, seven or eight." 

She laughs amiably. "I, uh...thought about what you wrote on the card. About celebrating the Nova Cycle together?" 

"You did?" 

"Yeah, and...I sort of figured you might be up here this morning. I mean, I know it's not exactly the same day, probably. But...it's still a solstice, right?"

"Right. That's...it just seemed...appropriate. The sun here even looks red in the morning."

"Yeah, it does," she smiles. "Do you remember the prayer?"

"Sure. We used to recite it In the ancient Kryptonese, from before the exodus of Dax-Am."

"Yeah, we did the same."

"Okay, well, we can start as soon as the first rays break. Which, according to my awesome new watch, should be in…" he looks at his wrist. "About 20 seconds." He continues looking as he observes the countdown. She can see him mouthing the numbers as they tick by. 

"Mon-El?" she asks. 

"Yeah?" he looks up. 

"Thank you." She leans over and kisses him on the cheek, lingering for just a moment longer than she means to. 

"You're welcome," he whispers, slightly awed, and unable to stop himself from reaching up to lightly touch the cheek where her lips just were.

Just then, the sunlight breaks over the horizon. 

"Ready?" she asks, taking his hand, and breaking their tender moment. 

"Born ready," he replies happily, and with a nod, they begin to repeat the incantation in unison. 

When they're done, she squeezes him in a big hug, and wish each other Happy Nova Cycle and Merry Christmas. 

"What are you doing on the actual day?" She asks, before they part ways. 

"What actual day?" 

"Um...Christmas?" 

"Is that not today?" 

"No, it's the 25th." 

"Why is it not on the actual solstice?" he wonders. 

Kara pulls an exaggerated shrug. "I don't know. Something about Jesus's birthday, even though it's not even actually his birthday apparently. I still don't really get it all, either. I just go with it." 

"Yeah...guess I will, too," he chuckles.

"Wait until we get to Easter. There's this whole thing with a giant rabbit and eggs."

"Do...rabbits lay eggs?"

"No! They don't! Humans are _so_ weird!" They have another laugh together at the absurdity of it all.

"Anyway…" she finally says. "You should come for Christmas dinner. If you're not doing anything. I mean we're going to Midvale, but...you can speed there, right? And I'll just fly you home after. Sound good?" 

"Sounds great!" he beams. "I can talk to your Earth mother some more about science!"

"She would love that," Kara chuckles. 

As she flies off home to get ready for work, smile still adorning her face, she wonders what a good gift for him might be. 

She pulls out her phone from her boot and googles "Christmas for Dummies." 

_$16.95 on Amazon, perfect_ , she thinks to herself.

After all, he may be kind of a holiday dummy, in some ways, but maybe it's not the worst thing having him around to celebrate things with. 

_No…maybe not such a bad thing at all..._

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I'm including in my anthology bc technically that series is canon complaint up through s3. But really this is just a season 2 fill in canon.


End file.
